Korean Aircraft Spotting Association (KASA)
No Reg (became HL7631 line no: 1509), Boeing 747-8B5i, Boeing Airplane Company (for Korean Air) Seattle-Everett, 31-Jul 2015… 10 years ago!
It was a very hot summer in Seattle, the grass was fried…
This aircraft had been in storage at Everett-Paine Field since Oct-14. On this day I caught it on the move, windows still sealed.
It was first flown on 24-Aug-15 in full Korean Air livery. It was delivered to Korean Air as HL7631 in Sep-15. The aircraft was withdrawn from service and stored at Seoul-Gimpo, South Korea in Feb-20 as a consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
In Nov-21 it was moved to Busan, South Korea and returned to service in Jan-22. It was withdrawn from service and parked at Seoul-Incheon, South Korea at the end of Sep-24 and then ferried to Dayton, OH, USA at the end of Oct-24.
The aircraft was sold to the Sierra Nevada Corporation as N747EF in Nov-24 and stored at Dayton. It will be converted to Boeing 747-E-4C standard as an Airborne Command Post for the United Stated Air Force.
In Sep-25 the aircraft was ferried to Hamburg, Germany where, I’m assuming, the basic E-4C conversion work will be done. Updated 06-Oct-25.
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아래에 한국어 텍스트가 있습니다
Hello, my name is Aero_Rays and I love taking pictures of the Black Eagles. This story is about how I came to like the Black Eagles.
I first saw the Black Eagles when I went to ADEX2023 when I was in the 6th grade of elementary school. Since then, I fell in love with the Black Eagles because I thought their special flight was so cool. August 15, 2024, Liberation Day of the Republic of Korea Canon Eos 90DI purchased it and started taking pictures of the Black Eagles in earnest. I couldn’t attend all the events, but I tried to take great pictures even when I went to nearby events.
Finally, in 2025, I started communicating with the Black Eagles team members. First, I started communicating with the narrator, Lieutenant Kim Young-kwang. Around 2025, I heard that Lieutenant Kim Young-kwang will be discharged from the military at the end of the year. It is so sad that the person I respect the most will be discharged soon. I decided to go to almost every event and have been interested in the Black Eagles and filming them ever since. Presently, I am performing in my own Air Show using a T50B simulator at msfs2020.
Thank you for listening to my story.
안녕하세요 저는 블랙이글스 사진찍는 Aero_Rays라고 합니다 이번 사연은 제가 블랙이글스를 좋아하게 된 계기를 설명하려고 합니다 제가 초등학교 6학년때 처음 ADEX2023을 갔는데 그때 블랙이글스를 처음보게 됐습니다 그 후로 멋진 특수비행을 선보이는것이 너무 멋져보여 블랙이글스에 빠지게 되었습니다 2024년 8월 15일 대한민국의 광복절날 Canon Eos 90D를 구매해 본격적으로 블랙이글스를 촬영하기 시작했습니다 모든 행사를 가진 못했지만 가까운곳의 행사를 가더라도 멋진 사진을 담으려고 노력했습니다 마침내 2025년에는 블랙이글스 팀원분들과 소통하기 시작했습니다 먼저 나레이터 김영광 중위님과 소통을 시작했을 무렵 2025년을 마지막으로 김영광 중위님이 전역 한다는 소식을 들었습니다 가장 존경하는 사람이 곧 전역이라니 너무 아쉬워 거의 모든 행사를 가보자라는 마음을 먹고 지금까지 블랙이글스에 대해 관심을 가지며 촬영하고있습니다 요즘에는 msfs2020에서 T50B를 직접 시뮬레이터로 에어쇼를 하고있습니다 제 사연 들어주셔서 감사합니다
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First conceived in the 2010’s and actually founded on December 22nd, 2017 as Hi Air Co. Ltd., and operating as Hi Air (HGG) (4H) Call Sign HiAir. Hi Air first took to the skies on December 13th, 2019 with two ATR 72-500’s HL5243 & HL5244. HI Air’s first route was Ulsan to Gimpo.
By the summer of 2020 Hi Air was operating 6 routes all with in South Korea.
On June 24th of 2020 Hi Air brought on two more aircraft HL5245 & HL5246 with them entering service in August and October of the same year. Hi Air Global Group, HI Air’s parent Company also went public with their plans to expand to a fleet of 10 Aircraft by 2024. This of course unfortunately never came to fruition.
Over the course of the Companies lifespan, it operated from Six Airports in South Korea, Ulsan, Hi Air’s HUB, Gimpo, Jeju, Muan, Sacheon, Yangyang. Hi Air also had one international route with Muan Kitakyushu service.
With the struggles in Koreas competitive domestic market, consisting of Eastar Air, Jejuair, Air Busan Air Seoul, Korean Air Asiana Airlines, and t’way, and the struggles that came with the downturn in traffic and due to Covid, Hi Air suspended service on August 31, 2023
So, what happened, and happening? Yes, what’s happening.
As mentioned, competition and Covid-19 issues created a financial situation that became unsurmountable. A month after it suspended services it applied for corporate rehabilitation (court receivership).
Let’s break it down what went wrong:
Hi Air’s total debt at time of closure was just over 21 billion Won (a report from 2024 shows liabilities of 51.5 billion Won)
In fact, the company’s liabilities exceeded assets by a whopping 5.6 billion Won
Due to the company’s books, the company was unable to find addition outside Capital
In early 2024 Hi Air was forced to return one Aircraft (HL5245)
In addition to the corporate debts Hi Air failed to make payroll in time leading to many resignations. This reduction is staff lead to staffing issues and ultimately flight cancellations due to these shortages.
It can also be argued that the choice of Ulsan as a hub created both passenger and staffing issues due to a low population to draw from.
Two months to the day of Hi Air suspending operations, the Busan Regional Aviation Administration informed Hi Air that their AOC had been canceled, this was of course the final previable final ‘nail’.
Hi Air’s future
After failing to find a buyer, Hi Air successfully found a negotiator in April of 2024, the Sangsangin Investment & Securities Consortium.
In Feb of this year, 2025 a court approved the Hi Air rehabilitation plan. With a new management in place and a secured injection of capital, Hi Air’s plan aims to restart the airline as a sustainable aviation company.
- FLEET ACQUISITION and current state.
- HL5243 AQUIRED 10/10/19, Former Air Tahiti, lsd from ATRiam Currently stored at GMP
- HL5244 AQUIRED 10/20/19, Former Air Tahiti Currently stored at GMP
- HL5245 AQUIRED 06/25/21, Former Aurigny, Returned to ATRiam, now 5N-GAB for Green African Airways
- HL5246 AQURIED 03/08/23, Former Cebgo, , Currently stored at GMP
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The first Boeing B737-100 took to the skies April 9, 1967. Registered as N-73700, the
prototype took off from Boeing Field in Seattle, piloted by Brien Wygle and Lew Wallick. The rest is
history as the 737 has become one of the most famous passenger jets to have taken to the skies.
The 737 has now been in the air for over 50 years, and as such, it has had a few different
variations. The major Passenger versions are as follows; the first 737-100: Lufthansa (DLH) was the
first airline to operate the original 737-100. Total deliveries of the 100, was only 30 units. The 737-
200 was next, launched by United Airlines (UAL) it was the first to operate the now stretched 737.
Total deliveries of the 737-200 model were 1114 units.
The 737-100 & 200 would become to be known as the Originals. Some of the100 & 200
models came with a 3 Person crew most were later converted to the traditional 2 man crew.
The next variant group has become known as the Classics, these are made up by the 737-
300, 737-400, & 737-500 variants. The 737-300 launch customer was USAir, (USA). Total deliveries
of the 300 model were 1113 units. The 737-400, launch customer was Piedmont Airlines. The 400
model sold a total of 486 units. The last of the Classics was the 737-500 launched by Southwest
Airlines (SWA), with a total of 389 units delivered.
The next category of the 737 has been labeled as the 737 New Generation, (NG) they are
the 737-600, 737-700, 737-800, & 737-900. The 737-600 was the smallest of the 737 NG models
and its launch customer was Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). A total of just 69 units we built. Like the
737-500 the 737-700 launch customer was Southwest Airlines SWA). The total number of 700
deliveries was 1128. Hapag-Lloyd Flug (now TUIfly) was the launch customer for the 737-800. To
date the 800 has been the best selling version of 737 with a total of 4989 units delivered. The last of
the 737 NG’s was the 900 and 900 ER (Extended Range). Alaska Airlines (ASA) was the first to fly
this version. The 737-900 was the lowest selling version of the Passenger variants with only 52
units sold, whereas the 900(ER) version delivered a total 505 units.
The last variant of the 737 is the MAX. Boeing has chosen to continue to use the NG
numbering system with the MAX variants (dropping the zeros) being called the 7, 8, 9, and
introducing the 737-10. We all know the troubles the MAX has seen and to date, only the 8-9
Versions are flying commercially, with 7-10, still in the testing/certification process. To date about
1800 MAX Variants have been sold.
There are currently five airlines in South Korea operating the Boeing 737-800 MAX. They are
Korean Air (KAL), Eastar Jet (ESR), t’way (TWB), JinAir (JNA), and JEJUair (JJA).
December 21th, 2018 saw the first 737 MAX enter into the skies of Korea. The operator was Eastar
Jet, adding (HL8340) a 737-800 MAX into its operations. KAL was the next airline to get a delivery;
making their first 737-8 MAX (HL8348) on February 13th 2022. June 7th of 2022 JNA (KAL’s low
cost airline) gets their first MAX (HL8353) delivered straight from the Boeing factory. JJA gets their
first MAX November 4 th , of 2023 (HL8524). December 17 th , 2022 TWB gets their first MAX
(HL8513)ESR entered bankruptcy proceedings and their MAX was returned to the lesser. After
emerging for bankruptcy, Eastar received its next (new) MAX (HL8541) in June of 2023.
KAL JNA, and (ESR second round) were scheduled to receive MAX’s sooner (KAL’s MAX had
actually completed its B1 fight) but were delayed because of the MAX Groundings.
Furthermore, the Korean Government has announced the replacement of the Code 2 aircraft,
transitioning from the current 737-300 to a 737-800 MAX. The aircraft is currently undergoing
conversion in Toronto, Canada and Hamburg, Germany. It, like Code the 747-8i Code 1, has been
leased from Korean Airlines.
Apart from flying the MAX domestically, Korean registered MAXs also provide numerous
international routes to destinations such as Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand.
You can also fly to and from Korea on the 737 MAX with foreign Airlines, such as Mongolian Airlines
(MGL), Air China (CCA), Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Singapore Airlines (SIA), Hainan Airlines (CHH),
Scat Air (VSV), and Batik Air Malaysia (MXD).
The Boeing 737-800 MAX was developed to compete with the Airbus A320neo. Boeing undertook
significant upgrades both internally and externally to the 737 Next-Generation (NG) aircraft to create
the 737 MAX. Some key visual external differences between the two versions are as follows. (see above photo) 1)
Engines: The NG model is equipped with CFM56 engines from CFM International, whereas the
MAX model features the much larger LEAP-1B engines also from CFM. The cowlings are also
scalloped on the trailing edge 2) Winglets (wingtip), the winglets have been redesigned; the NG
model utilizes 2 different Blended Winglets styles, while the MAX incorporates Advanced
Technology Winglets, which enhance fuel burn performance by an additional 2%. 3) The landing
lights on the MAX have also been upgraded to LED technology. 4) Lastly, the tail cone has a new
design, looking a lot like the 787’s.
Passengers will also notice that the MAX is 40% quieter than previous 737 NG models, and the
seats have been redesigned to have slimmer seat backs, allowing for increased passenger
legroom.
A significant advantage for airlines is the extended range of the 737-800 MAX, which reaches 6,570
kilometers, over 1,000 kilometers longer than that of the NG, allowing for the operation of much
longer routes. If your flying on a Korean Registered 737Max, on KAL offers the only chance at
business class seating, while the others offer, economy seating with varying different seat pitches
for you to try!!
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DID YOU KNOW? FROM THE PAST
KAL HL7406 B707 Bombing
| Date: | Sunday 29 November 1987 |
| Time: | 05:22 |
| Type: |  Boeing 707-3B5C |
| Owner/operator: | Korean Air |
| Registration: | HL7406 |
| MSN: | 20522/855 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1971 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 36047 hours |
| Cycles: | 19941 flights |
| Engine model: | P&W JT3D-3B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 115 / Occupants: 115 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Location: | 100 km NW off Tavoy, Myanmar [Andaman Sea] –  Indian Ocean |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger – Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH/OMAA) |
| Destination airport: | Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Korean Air flight KE858, a Boeing 707-300, crashed into the Andaman Sea off Myanmar, following detonation of an explosive device, killing all 115 occupants.
Flight KE858 departed Baghdad, Iraq on a scheduled service to Seoul, South Korea. En route stops were planned at Abu Dhabi, UAE and Bangkok, Thailand. At 00:01 UTC Flight 858 departed Abu Dhabi, climbing to a cruising altitude of FL370. Last radio contact was at 05:01 UTC when the crew reported that they estimated reaching the TAVOY waypoint over the Andaman Sea at 05:22. Flight 858 was declared missing when it failed to arrive at the destination.
On December 13, 1987 a local schooner found pieces of wreckage floating northwest off Tavoy, Myanmar.
Korean Authorities, suspecting sabotage after the aircraft became missing, started checking on passengers who disembarked at Abu Dhabi and traced the suspects Mr.Hachiya Shinichi and Miss Hachiya Mayumi to Bahrain where they were apprehended while going through exit formalities at the airport. It was reported that they were found to be holding false Japanese Passports. While being held for interrogation, both committed suicide by taking poison capsules hidden in the cigarettes and Mr.Hachiya Shinichi died. Miss Hachiya Mayumi who survived the attempt was extradited to South Korea.
It was reported that the passengers were found to be named Mr. Kim Sung-il and Miss Kim Hyon-hui of North Korean origin. For her role in the bombing Kim Hyun Hui was sentenced to death in March 1989. However, South Korean president Roh Tae-woo pardoned her in 1998.
Investigation revealed that the bomb consisted of a composition C 4 type explosive hidden in a battery operated portable transistor radio which was used as a timing device. The timer was activated while they were awaiting embarkation at Baghdad Airport and set to go off 9 hours later. Together with the transistor radio, a liquor bottle containing liquid explosive (type PLX) was taken on board and placed in the overhead baggage rack above seat row No. 7 in the forward cabin section of the economy class compartment where they were seated. These timed explosives were left in that place when they disembarked at Abu Dhabi.
PROBABLE CAUSE: “In flight explosion of time bomb planted in the aircraft by the two saboteurs disguised as passengers.”
FULL DETAILS at:
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/326652
